What JEM? - Steve Vai, 24 fret plaque

[SalemB]

This is probably FAQ, but here goes anyway...

While JEM-hunting in London I saw several JEMs having a 24 fret plaque with Steve Vai's name on it it. I've just recently started to understand the differences between the different models so I didn't reflect upon it at the time. I've been looking through the image galleries here, but could not find any JEMs with this plaque.

Can you tell me what model I saw?

/Børge

[jemsite]

JEM555. Avoid it at all cost... glen

[maxax]

Well...I wouldn't go quite that far....but yes, what you are talking about is a JEM555....which was a good idea in it's origin...(which was)....a slightly stripped down JEM Model with a more budget oriented price....($700-$800 Brand Spankin' New w/case...don't pay more)....anyhow IMHO....where the idea really faultered was in Ibanez's decision to save some big bucks in production and had the guitar manufactured in Korea....(MAJOR RED FLAG IN THE GUITAR WORLD)....Koreans make nice VCR's but their guitars are lacking!!! *Anyhow....so bottom line here is what you've seen shouldn't be viewed as a leper....but maybe just a step above....compared to a REAL JEM i.e. a 7xx series (whatever) made in Japan....it simply doesn't....but compared to a $200 entry level electric guitar from say Fender, Epiphone, Yamaha, etc. it's not bad....in fact it's quite a bit better than those...of course it cost more than $200....caveat emptor....you get what you paid for....holds true in this case....the JEM555 is NOT nearly as good as a true JEM....we could all sit here and belittle the differences for hours...(which most people seem to LOVE to do)....but don't kid yourself....you didn't find/see a cool JEM at a great price....what you've found is a decent guitar....an entry level version of the JEM which was intended to be a buget version of the JEM and for most JEM enthusists it's like kissing your sister....and I agree....but if you're looking for a pretty good guitar....and on a budget...and someone is offering you a respectable price on one...that you can afford....and you played and liked the guitar....then buy it!!! *

[SalemB]

Aha, that explains both why they had so many of them and why the price tag was so low (well, 1000GBP isn't exactly low) . *Hmm, bad of me, I should have spotted the different bridge...

I'm surprised that Steve Vai would let them put his name on the budget version of the JEMs. It would have made more sense to me if his name was on the 7VWH.

[GuyCool]

Forgive my ignorance, but does EVH really play a TRS?
I only ask 'cause a pal of mine wants to get a nice looking JS100, and the only thing stopping him is me and a bunch of other people telling him that the TRS is dodgy. I've never played a TRS-I graduated from a very dodgy Floyd II thing on a Korean Hamer, straight to the Lo-Pro(The single most important hardware item on the Jems IMHO), and so I love the Lo-Pro, and appreciate it, but my buddy is a relative beginner-maybe he wouldn't tell the diiference???

In short, for a beginner, is the TRS OK? My pal has £600 to spend.


Thanks for the advice.
Guy

[jemsite]

To be honest, when Vai played the 555BK in Hicksville, it visibly hindered his playing with the tremolo. Totally apparent, perhaps Rich even saw it. I know Gary and I spoke about it. When he used the tremolo, it seemed to not respond as expected, sometimes with a loss of sustain of the note(s).

But we all know he played that because Ibanez/Vai was offering them as the "giveaway".

Get a Japanese RG at half the cost and teach ibanez (and other manufacturers) a lesson that inferior "signature-models" are NOT welcome. That makes for a *much better* value guitar at a lower cost.. glen

[Rich]

It was pretty hard to miss, he seemed tottaly uncomfortable with it. Either he missed it all together because of the positioning, or the 'feel' was throwing him off, but he was NOT at ease. But the trem seemed to be the ONLY drawback with the 555, to Stevie at least. Not like he's not used to the necks :biggrin:

[Coolstu]

It is amazing how many people are put off the 555 by the TRS. Personally I would rather my RG550 with its EDGE :biggrin: any day to a 555.

[kirk]

Kev, the TRS is good for intermediate players? *:silly:

What about the players who like the look (except for that nasty fingerboard) and feel of the Jem, but who don't want to wank away with the whammy bar?

I am a full supporter of the Edge & Lo-Pro Edge, it is, IMHO, the text book example of the Floyd Rose design.

However, to gauge a player's level of proficiency by the bridge he uses is a bit amateurish itself. *

It's ice cream man.

[Lange]

Right - I suck with a lo-pro, but would suck even more without it! *It's all about what you're used to - and not having to move back to something of lesser quality.

I 2nd what Kevan said about used - pick up a well used/played but well cared-for high-end axe for the same price you'd pay for something new but of lesser initial quality. *Just having a smooth fingerboard is worth it!

- Chris

[kirk]

I misinterpreted you, or maybe you just came off wrong!